Vol 27, No 4 (2019)

The article deals with the theoretical aspects of the development and implementation of corporate strategies and practical actions of enterprises of the automotive industry in order to obtain competitive advantages in the dynamically changing conditions of business development on the example of enterprises-leaders in the field of automotive industry. The article attempts to identify new areas of strategic development of the automotive industry, taking into account the current trends of companies such as German BMW Group and Volkswagen AG and actively developing Chinese manufacturers - BAIC, Chery, Geely, JAC, JAV. The focus is on the production of hybrid and electric drive vehicles. Special attention is paid to the prospects of development of the Russian segment of production of cars with hybrid and electric drive and identification of the problems hindering its advanced development and the reasons hindering the expansion of the segment of use of cars with hybrid and electric drive of both Russian and imported production.

The development of the national economy as a whole - the subjects and municipalities in particular-in conditions of limited financial subsidies depends on their economic condition, technological equipment, organization of measures to save energy resources. The housing and communal services sector, which has a high energy saving potential, accounting for about 70 % of the total energy efficiency potential in the Russian Federation, is currently one of the main consumers of energy resources of the Russian Federation. Cost optimization and cost reduction are the main tasks in improving the economic conditions for the development of housing and communal services and management of residential property complexes, some features of which will be considered in this paper. The main purpose of energy-saving measures in housing and communal services is to reduce costs and production costs and the cost of utilities, and as a result of reducing the level of utility bills for the owner in an apartment building. The segment of apartment buildings in housing and communal services is one of the most problematic, in terms of savings, as the main part of energy costs in it is aimed at providing hot water and heating. In the framework of this study, the results of the activities of one of the management companies of Saint Petersburg on the implementation of energy-saving measures are reflected.

The Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) was founded in 1992 for military-economic cooperation of member countries and mainly reflects the intention of Russia to maintain its zone of influence on the territory of the former USSR. In continuation of this policy, an agreement was concluded on the foundation of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), which began its operation in 2015 and provides a certain freedom of movement of goods (services), capital and labor. These organizations provide effective interaction between the CSTO member states and the EAEU including common space between the countries and their development in a single trajectory, which allows to obtain a synergistic effect on the international arena. Thus, it is necessary to monitor the level of military-economic cooperation between the CSTO and EAEU member states. The purpose of this article was to study the challenges and threats to the Russia of military-economic cooperation of the CSTO and EAEU member states with third countries. To achieve this goal, military-economic cooperation of Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Belarus, Armenia with third countries was examined and proposals were made for replacing purchases on the arms market with Russian counterparts. Some CSTO and EAEU countries seek to diversify their purchases in the arms market, providing a program of independent military development with the development of military-industrial cooperation with third countries. This situation forces Russia to ensure the development of plans for the import substitution of military products with Russian counterparts on the market of the CSTO and the EAEU. To test this hypothesis, we reviewed and analyzed publicly available statistics and documents, including data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. In the course of data analysis, it was proved that Belarus, Kazakhstan and partially Armenia diversify their purchases of military equipment and weapons by actively developing military-economic cooperation with third countries, including China.

The article discusses the relationship of the EEU member states in the gas sector. Based on the analysis of existing problems and contradictions, as well as the agreements reached in the EEU, an assessment is given of the prospects for the formation of a common gas market within the framework of a single economic space. The formation of a common gas market is seen as the key to ensuring its energy security and harmonious socioeconomic development of both suppliers and consumers of gas in EEU. The lack of a price model of the gas market, heterogeneity and incompatibility of the potential of national gas markets, the complexity of the unification of the rules of the market, export problems and other equally important issues determine the relevance of the study of the functioning and development of gas markets of the EEU member states. The aim of the work is to analyze and identify the main problems affecting the development of the gas industry in EEU. The results obtained in the course of the study suggest that the functioning of the common gas market of the EEU is possible in the conditions of achieving institutional homogeneity of national gas markets.

The research renders the analysis of the trends in the global mineral fertilizer market. The study aims to define the factors that correlate with fertilizer consumption. Objectives of the study are to analyze the dynamics and structure of demand, supply, foreign trade, market factors, and characteristics, and forecast its development; to analyze the correlation between fertilizer consumption, arable land scale, cereal yield; to study the phenomenon of mineral fertilizer consumption in Russia. The paper answers the question, where is the fertilizer consumption concentrated, and why? The defined market producers are China, Russia; the global consumers are Brazil, India, China, and the USA. The countries with the highest cereal yield in the world do not coincide with the largest fertilizer consumer countries. Cereal yield and the level of fertilizer application per hectare of arable land in the most significant mineral fertilizer consumer countries are not directly correlated. The countries with the highest cereal yield are mostly well developed with relatively small arable lands. Most of them have soil which is unsuitable for farming. When arable land scale (hectares) rises on 1%, the fertilizer consumption increases by 0.7%, with a probability of 99%. According to this model, Russia consumes 10 569 thousand tons of its estimated volume. The data were classified using Excel and analyzed via econometric modeling software Eviews.

Over the past half century, global GDP growth has been exceptionally rapid, helped by significant labor force growth and increased labor productivity. Employment growth from 1964 to 2014 decreased from 1.7 to 0.3 % per year. Over the past 20 years, overall productivity growth in OECD countries has also slowed significantly. However, the introduction of digital technology is already changing the picture for the better in developed countries. Therefore, achieving the desired economic growth is seen in increasing labor productivity through the active development and implementation of key technologies of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, but with the need to effectively redistribute existing resources within countries, both developed and developing. As a hypothesis, the thesis was put forward on the need for scientific and technological development as the main answer to the challenges of our time with the aim of further growth and development of the Russian economy. However, the study proved that in modern conditions the main solution for Russia is a more efficient distribution of existing factors of production and, as a result, economic activity. At the same time, further technological and innovative development is necessary from the point of view of long-term economic growth, since the catch-up path has its own logical limit.

In the last decade, almost all countries of the world have developed strategies for the transition to a digital economy. The introduction of digital technologies is observed in all spheres of our life: from simple household consumption to public administration. Latin American countries have not been left out of this process. However, the readiness for such a transition varies for the countries of the region. The purpose of this article is a comparative analysis of the infrastructure base of Latin American countries for the transition to a digital economy. The starting point for this transition is the provision of public access to the Internet and the ability of the population to take advantage of the opportunities provided by digital technologies. The basis for the study was the database of the World Bank, the online portal “Statista” and other open sources. Comparison and pattern matching methods were used in the process. The analysis showed that Chile, Argentina, Uruguay, Costa Rica are among the leading countries in the readiness of the infrastructure base for the transition to a digital economy. Countries lagging in this indicator - Haiti, Nicaragua, Honduras, Venezuela. It is noted that in these countries it is necessary to create new institutions, stimulate innovation. In general, the Latin American region at the moment belongs to the middle group of digitalization but has great potential and good prospects.